If you own or manage a membership-based business or organization, the core of your profits usually come from the membership fees you collect. To be successful, you need to be able to not only attract members but to keep them. There are many different things that will affect whether a member decides to stay or not and we’re going to focus on the ones you can have a direct impact on. Here are some different ways of preventing membership cancellations before it’s too late.

Surveys

Preventing membership cancellations can be as simple as knowing what’s on your members’ minds. Communication is key but, if you have a lot of members, it can be very difficult to know what the general consensus is and how they’re enjoying attending your classes or programs. Surveys can be a great way to accumulate information; anonymous surveys might also be a good idea, in order to elicit a more authentic response.

Once you get an idea of how people feel, you can then focus on working through the things they’re unhappy with. This will make identifying, maintaining and optimizing the things they are happy with more efficient. To get you started, here are Yoga Activist’s surveys for yoga studios, to give you some inspiration on how to create your own.

One-on-ones

Taking the time to sit down with your members face-to-face, without any distractions, can help in a number of ways. First, this shows that you appreciate your members enough to give them your time and attention. Second, it gives you a chance to communicate directly with the member and to hear their experiences with your organization. Third, a one-on-one serves as an opportunity for you to motivate your members to reach their goals. Oftentimes, the issue can be as simple as being frustrated with a lack of progress; something your team can help motivate them through.

All of these will help you figure out how to keep your members happy and returning to your facilities. For more information on keeping gym members motivated, check out our previous blog post on the subject.

Instructor Training

If your membership-based business is built around classes and lessons, your instructors’ training is crucial for the success of your business. As much of the value your members receive is in the quality of the education or training they’re receiving, instructors can be a make or break factor at many membership-based businesses.

Invest in your instructors. Send them to workshops and make sure they’re consistently improving and refining their craft, as well as their teaching skills. Whether you’re a part of a parks and recreation facility, a gym, a yoga studio or otherwise, instructors and teachers need to be skilled in both their field of expertise and methods of teaching your members. 

Building Community

Arguably the most effective way to proactively prevent membership cancellations is to nurture a sense of community and family within your organization. Hosting events can be a great way to get your current members interacting outside of class and for everyone to feel a greater sense of connection with you and your business. It’s that feeling you get when you care intrinsically about the school. Although building a community may not always be the easiest thing to accomplish, with patience and perseverance, you’ll be able to create a cohesive group of members that feel like they’re a part of something bigger.

Xplor Recreation has an effective membership management solution that helps keep your retention rates high. It tracks attendance patterns and notifies you of possible cancellations, so you can remedy the situation before it becomes an issue. Want to experience a live demo of how this can help support your organization? Book your walkthrough today.

For more tips and help with improving your retention rates, check out our free webinar on how to save membership cancellations, using three straightforward strategies.

What has been the largest challenge you faced when managing your members? Let us know on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Google+, to stay up to date with all of your Xplor Recreation news.